Hinge.



A. D. PERKINS.

HINGE. APPLICATION FILED 001224, 1908.

Muted Sept. 28, 1909.

union .QLGIWSQN ll. G3 3885 ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

Spccilicailen of Letters intent.

Z EIGE.

Patented Sept. 28. 1909.

Application filed catcher $1, 1908,. filerial No. 459,410.

To all whom is my concern:

lie it known that I', ALONSON D. PERKINS, a citizen of the United States. residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of Celifernia, hnve invented new and useful Improvements in Hinges, of which the following is e specification.

This invention relates to hinges; e .d has for its objects to provide improve hinge menhs, or means for connecting two crmcre devices, ihi'ngs or parts for relative reevement or the same, which will provide for temporarily or yiehiingly lacking or inherlecking the same to prevent the said relative movement; and which hinge devices or hinge means, including said locking means, shall be relatively inexpensive end simple in consiructiou. positive in cheretion. curable, and. generally superior in peini; of eiliciency and. scrviceahili'ry.

The invention consiss in the provision.- construction, combination, sssccieticn and relative arrangement of'perts, members end features as hereinafter described, shown in the drawing and finally pointed 011$ in claims.

In the drawing :Figure l is e. side elevation ofshinge constructecl'according re the invention; Fig. 2 is a similar view oi the construction shown in Fig. l, ihe penis heing broken mvey and scctiens in certain per lions thereof so illustrate operative features of the invention; and Fig. 3 is ;a transverse sectional View, upon enlarges-l scale, taken upon the line 3 3, Fig. 2., and. locking in the direction oi ihc appended arrows.

orresponiling peris in all the figures are denoted by the some reference cheracicrs.

Referring wil'h particularity to the drove ing'. A and B respectively dwigneie two coiicenlric members of :i hinge constructed according; so the invention; said members being. in practice, combined ior relaiive. movement and 'prcvirled Wiih connection parts. a uml respectively. whereby the hinge may be connected wifcl'rclevices or parts of devices he hinged connection of which it is desired to provide or gastablish. The parts-a. anal Z) army constitute in themselves portions of :1 hinged device; as, for instance,v the arms or rocls of a folding buggy top of the mem wellhnown type. The members A and B assembled by ihe agency of kronncciing and hohling means C which permits relative movement of said menihers curl,- irl flee specific embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing, relative movement of pivotal or rotary nature.

D designates locking means for temporarily or yieldingly opposing or preventing relative movement of the hinge members A; and B.

The hinge member A, referring now to the specific showing of the drowlng, comprises a circular body 4- from which the con necting part a projects and the hinge member B comprises an annular body 5 from: which the connection part 2') projects. The annular body 5 is composed of a ring provided with two transverse connecting braces, 6 and 7 respectively, which connect within the circumference of said ring, as at 8. The circular body is formed with the proper iiiemcher to be housed within and completely surrounded by the fiat inner i'ece of the annular body 5 and be capable cf-s. snug iii therein-such as will permit relative play of gi-he body 4 and the lohcly 5. The body 4 is provided with a peripheral circular imge 9 which, when the bodies 4 and 5 ere assembled, hears loosely against one edge of fliemlnular body 5, limiting the introduction of the body 4. within the body 5.

The cenneccing and holding means C may (mnprise a bolt 10 passed through the trans.-

verse braces ("Send 7 at their yu iction at 8' threaded, into the circular body l; the

braces 6 and 7 being suitably chambered 0rcounter-sunk at 1]., to receive the head of ihe bolt 10 and permit its rotation with re spect loo braces l and 7 and the body 5, together wiih the body l.

The locking means D COIRQIlSB a pluralizry of locking bodies 1-2 which are arranged end adopted to co-ect" with the annular hoily seid locking bodies preferably comprising halls arranged to-c-nter recesses- 13 formed in the flat inner surface of the annulor body 5 and said recesses are prefer ably roi'rnclecl to fit the balls 12 but are less than a radius of the balls in depth. A numher of the recesses 13 are provided which is preferably a nml-l'iplc of the bodies or bells 12,, the drawing showing sixheen of the re- 13 and four of .the balls 12. To accommodeie thc balls 12 and permit their entrance to and withdrawal from the recesses 1'3. seicl balls 12 are preierebly seated each within e. receivin chamber 14 formed in the circular body 4i of the member A and radially thereof; there being shown four of such chernhers rz'irrauged at intervals of ninety degrees of the total circumfcremrc of the body 4-. The balls 12, otherwise-tree to traverse each its respective chamber Ll, are controlled each by tension means E which may comprise an expansive coil spring 15, there being one such spring housed in each of the chambers 14 and uring its respective ball outward in its chamber into engagement with the inner wall of the circular body 5 or one of the recesses 13 therein. The recesses 13 are preferably formed in a separate annulus 5 pressed within the annular body 5 and forming the portion of the member B which is directly frictionally engaged with the body t of the member A.

The operation, method of use and advantages of the improved hinge constituting the invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and the following statement :The bolt 11 firmly holds the concentric men'ibers A and B together, at the same time permitting their relative play so that the circular body 4 rotates within the annular body 5, or vice versa, either turning on a center common to the other. The circular flange 9 also holds the members against torsional strain; and the transverse braces (5 and 7 effectively reinforce the annular body 5, and both produce lightness in the structure and permit. the dirt to fall out between them rather than being retained as it would be if one or both sides of the member B were closed. Any devices. or parts of devices or structures connected respectively with the parts a and b are thus permitted to swingwith relation to each other, toward or away from each other. In the relative pivotal movement of the bodies a and 5, the balls 12, pressed outwardly by the springs 15, traverse the inner surface of the body 5, entering and leaving the recesses 13 successively. While traversing the surface portions of the body 5 between the recesses 13, the devices or balls 12 exert a frictional drag upon the relatively moving bodies 4 and 5, dependent upon the potentials of the springs 15. When 1n the recesses 13, the balls 12 temporarily lock the bodies 4 and 5 against relative movement,

there being required the application of considerable energy directed to the relative movement of the bodies 4 and through the parts a and 7), to unseat and Withdraw the balls 12 from the recesses 13. Because the recesses 13 are slightly less than hemispherical in depth, the application of suflicient pressure in the manner last described causes the balls to leave the recesses, under opposition by the springs 15,- and permits relative movement of the bodies 4 and 5,

-members A and B, and devices or objects connected with the parts a and 7), thus estabhslnng hinge action. In such hinge action, it Wlll be noted that the relative movement is successively or intermittently retarded by the co-action of the balls 12 and recesses 13. This feature of my invention adapts this improved hinge particularly for use in connection with hinged devices or objects which is desired to temporarily or yieldingrly lock or sustain in varying rela tive positions.

Having thus described my invention. claim and desire to secure by Letters lat ent:---

'1. Improved hinge means, comprising relatively movable members concentrically mounted one Within the other, the inner member having a peripheral flange at one side and radial chambers at the other, balls therein, and springs also therein pressingthe balls normally outward; and the outer member surrounding the chambered portion of the inner member and resting at one edge against its ilange,-and an annulus secured within the outer member and having recesses in a plane registering with said balls.

2. Improved hinge means, comprising relatively movable members mounted on a common'pi'vot and housed one Within the other, the inner member having radial chambers, balls therein, and springs also therein pressinn the .balls normally outward: the outer member surrounding the inner, and an ammlus secured within said outer member and having recesses of a depth less than a radius of said balls and in a plant: registering with said chambers.

33. lmprovcd hinge means, comprising relatively movable members mounted on a concentric pivot, the inner member-comprising a circular body having radial chambers, and locking means pressed normally outward within said chambers; and the outer member comprising a flat ring completely surroun ling said body and an annulus scoured within said ring and having intvrnallrecesscs in a plane adapted to register with said locking means.

l. Improved hinge means, comprising relatively movable members mounted on a concentric pivot, the inner member comprising a circular body with a peripheral flange at one-side and having radial chambers, and locking means pressed normally outward within said chambers; and the outer member comprisin a flat ring completely surrounding; said body and resting at one edge against said flange and having internal recesses in a plane adapted to register with said locking means, i

5. Improved hinge means. comprising relatively'movable members mounted on a con centric pivot bolt,thc innermembercomprising a circular body having radial chambers, and yielding locking means therein: and the outer member comprising a ring surrounding said body and having internal recesses in a plane adapted to register with said locking lOtl means, and two transverse braces connecting I recesses in a plane adapted to register with the circumference of said ring'and pierced at said locking means, and two transverse 5 their juncture bya countersunk hole for said braces connecting the circumference of said bolt and its head. ring on that'edge opposite said flange and 6. Improved hinge means, comprising reli pierced at their juncture by said pivot. atively movable members mounted on a'con- In testimony whereof, I have signed my centric pivot, the inner member comprising a name to this specification in the presence of 20 ciliculariblody with 3 peripheral flanggatone two subscribing witnesses. site an avin ra ia cham ers, an yielding locking m ans therein; and the outer ALONSON PERKINS member comprising a flatring completely Witnesses: surrounding said body and resting at one RAYMOND I. BLAKEsLEE,

CAL. F. HUNTER.

edge against its flange and having internal 

